Travel Tips for Bellingham, WA (and Vancouver, BC): -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you fly in to Vancouver for an overnight trip, make sure you see Stanley Park and Granville Island. If you stay downtown both are accessible by foot. Walk down to the Bay and follow the path towards the bridge to catch the $2.50 ferry to Granville Island where you will find a wonderful market in several buildings with fresh produce, baked goods, and crafts. Be sure to be hungry when you go there. The park has extensive walking trails and many kinds of flora and wildlife to view. Be sure to sit out with the towns people and watch the sunset, as many gather there after work to sit on the grass and enjoy the evening. For an overnight you do not need a car, as there are many things to do by foot. A cab ride into town is around $30, and a bus is available from the airport for a small amount. The town is in construction for the 2010 Olympics and building monorails to the airport etc.
Mike Summers - February 2010:
Even though we don't fly to Vancouver anymore, it's an easy two-hour drive from Seattle and even closer from Bellingham, WA. . Rental car companies are okay with crossing the border (don't forget your Passport). There are a couple of Native American Casinos along the drive north from Seattle on Interstate 5, which I stopped and visited. I had been to Vancouver in 2008 when we flew there. I went again during the 2010 Winter Olympics. It's a great town. Here's the city's visitor website that includes information about what to see and do: http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/ . It has great vistas, enjoyable people-watching, nice parks, and great food. I especially like the Yaletown Brewery at 1111 Mainland Street. It's website is www.markjamesgroup.com Nearby is the Hamilton Street Grill, which is a close second to the Yaletown. Here's their website: http://www.hamiltonstreetgrill.com/ . We also liked the Dockside Brewing Company, which is inside the Granville Island Hotel. It's expensive, but for special occasions it's a great place (Website: http://docksidebrewing.com/ ). On the east side of town we enjoyed Steamworks which is in the Gastown District. Website: http://www.steamworks.com/ . I would also recommend renting bicycles at Bayshore Bike Rentals www.bayshorebikerentals.ca If you rent a bike, make sure to ask for a bike lock. Then, you can stop somewhere and not worry about theft while eating or shopping. Stanley Park is a great place to bike/run/walk through. It's on the north end of the city, and it's enormous. You can reach it easily from any trail within the city. Vancouver map: http://vancouver.micromaps.com/ . Granville Island is also a nice place to bike or walk to. You can easily spend a comfortable two or three days visiting the city. If you do fly into town on another airline, the lightrail does connect the airport to the city. Here's a couple of websites: http://www.bcpassport.com/vancouver-public-transportation/vancouver-skytrain.aspx and http://www.skytrain.info/ which will also help youn travel around within the city.
Enjoy!
Mike Summers
Kris Mitchell - July 2012:
Whistler, British Columbia and Banff, Alberta, Canada Bellingham is the best kept secret when going North to BC and Alberta or West to the San Juan Islands/Anacortes - to catch the ferry. Bellingham is 45 min. from Vancouver (depending upon the customs line) If line is long, check your map and go thru another check point! Remember to bring your Passport or you won't get very far! We rented a car in Bellingham, drove up to Vancouver's fish market on the harbour looking across to the city. Drove on to Squamish, BC, (Website: http://www.tourismsquamish.com/ ) spent nite in this fun little fishing town. Had excellent fish dinner with cold Hard Cider on the River. Did the gondola up to Whistler and also the one at Banff. Great drive through those majestic Canadian Rockies!! Be sure to walk thru the Giant Cedar Groves National Park (Website: http://revelstokecc.bc.ca/ ) near Revelstoke. Also, some friends from Steamboat own a B&B in Revelstoke (excellent skiing!!). Contact me if you want specifics. Kris Mitchell 303-462-3888. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wenda Singor Dueck - September 2012:
The flight was quick and easy, the airport is small so moving around goes quickly. They even use air stairs to deplane an A319. That was fun to see. We booked a car rental once we landed, picked up a GPS and zipped over to White Rock, BC. (Website: http://www.hellobc.com/white-rock.aspx ). It I an easy drive and what a glorious city!! Fish and chips on the water and then a drive up to Whistler, BC (Website: http://www.whistler.com/ ). This drive is called the Sea to Sky scenic route and it is very, very beautiful! (Websites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_99 and http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g154943-d155556-Reviews-Sea_to_Sky_Highway-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html and http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=3945 ). Dinner at MIX in Whistler Village was a very yummy experience (Website Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g154948-d2254697-Reviews-The_Mix_by_Ric_s-Whistler_British_Columbia.html ). Along the route are numerous scenic outlooks and the option to see the views is well worth the stops. Be aware that the BLI flight is once a day so you will need to spend the night. We pulled into the Super 8 at 0130 after the drive back. Good beds, okay breakfast, cheap and close to the airport. Check-in at BLI takes time so this is not a location where you can run up at the last minute. You must be checked in 70 mins prior to flight departure. Don't forget your Passports! Enjoy! Wenda -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Bellingham, WA Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Bellingham,_WA
Vancouver, BC Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Vancouver,_British_Columbia
Cheryl Hydrick - July 2007:
If you fly in to Vancouver for an overnight trip, make sure you see Stanley Park and Granville Island. If you stay downtown both are accessible by foot. Walk down to the Bay and follow the path towards the bridge to catch the $2.50 ferry to Granville Island where you will find a wonderful market in several buildings with fresh produce, baked goods, and crafts. Be sure to be hungry when you go there. The park has extensive walking trails and many kinds of flora and wildlife to view. Be sure to sit out with the towns people and watch the sunset, as many gather there after work to sit on the grass and enjoy the evening. For an overnight you do not need a car, as there are many things to do by foot. A cab ride into town is around $30, and a bus is available from the airport for a small amount. The town is in construction for the 2010 Olympics and building monorails to the airport etc.
Mike Summers - February 2010:
Even though we don't fly to Vancouver anymore, it's an easy two-hour drive from Seattle and even closer from Bellingham, WA. . Rental car companies are okay with crossing the border (don't forget your Passport). There are a couple of Native American Casinos along the drive north from Seattle on Interstate 5, which I stopped and visited. I had been to Vancouver in 2008 when we flew there. I went again during the 2010 Winter Olympics. It's a great town. Here's the city's visitor website that includes information about what to see and do: http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/ . It has great vistas, enjoyable people-watching, nice parks, and great food. I especially like the Yaletown Brewery at 1111 Mainland Street. It's website is www.markjamesgroup.com Nearby is the Hamilton Street Grill, which is a close second to the Yaletown. Here's their website: http://www.hamiltonstreetgrill.com/ . We also liked the Dockside Brewing Company, which is inside the Granville Island Hotel. It's expensive, but for special occasions it's a great place (Website: http://docksidebrewing.com/ ). On the east side of town we enjoyed Steamworks which is in the Gastown District. Website: http://www.steamworks.com/ . I would also recommend renting bicycles at Bayshore Bike Rentals www.bayshorebikerentals.ca If you rent a bike, make sure to ask for a bike lock. Then, you can stop somewhere and not worry about theft while eating or shopping. Stanley Park is a great place to bike/run/walk through. It's on the north end of the city, and it's enormous. You can reach it easily from any trail within the city. Vancouver map: http://vancouver.micromaps.com/ . Granville Island is also a nice place to bike or walk to. You can easily spend a comfortable two or three days visiting the city. If you do fly into town on another airline, the lightrail does connect the airport to the city. Here's a couple of websites: http://www.bcpassport.com/vancouver-public-transportation/vancouver-skytrain.aspx and http://www.skytrain.info/ which will also help youn travel around within the city.
Enjoy!
Mike Summers
Kris Mitchell - July 2012:
Whistler, British Columbia and Banff, Alberta, Canada
Bellingham is the best kept secret when going North to BC and Alberta or West to the San Juan Islands/Anacortes - to catch the ferry.
Bellingham is 45 min. from Vancouver (depending upon the customs line) If line is long, check your map and go thru another check point! Remember to bring your Passport or you won't get very far! We rented a car in Bellingham, drove up to Vancouver's fish market on the harbour looking across to the city. Drove on to Squamish, BC, (Website: http://www.tourismsquamish.com/ ) spent nite in this fun little fishing town. Had excellent fish dinner with cold Hard Cider on the River. Did the gondola up to Whistler and also the one at Banff. Great drive through those majestic Canadian Rockies!! Be sure to walk thru the Giant Cedar Groves National Park (Website: http://revelstokecc.bc.ca/ ) near Revelstoke. Also, some friends from Steamboat own a B&B in Revelstoke (excellent skiing!!). Contact me if you want specifics.
Kris Mitchell 303-462-3888.
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Wenda Singor Dueck - September 2012:
The flight was quick and easy, the airport is small so moving around goes quickly. They even use air stairs to deplane an A319. That was fun to see.
We booked a car rental once we landed, picked up a GPS and zipped over to White Rock, BC. (Website:
http://www.hellobc.com/white-rock.aspx ). It I an easy drive and what a glorious city!! Fish and chips on the water and then a drive up to Whistler, BC (Website: http://www.whistler.com/ ). This drive is called the Sea to Sky scenic route and it is very, very beautiful! (Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_99 and
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g154943-d155556-Reviews-Sea_to_Sky_Highway-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html and
http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=3945 ).
Dinner at MIX in Whistler Village was a very yummy experience (Website Reviews:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g154948-d2254697-Reviews-The_Mix_by_Ric_s-Whistler_British_Columbia.html ). Along the route are numerous scenic outlooks and the option to see the views is well worth the stops.
Be aware that the BLI flight is once a day so you will need to spend the night. We pulled into the Super 8 at 0130 after the drive back. Good beds, okay breakfast, cheap and close to the airport.
Check-in at BLI takes time so this is not a location where you can run up at the last minute. You must be checked in 70 mins prior to flight departure.
Don't forget your Passports!
Enjoy!
Wenda
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